WOODLAND HEATHLAND WETLAND MEADOWS STAFFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ If you need this information in large print, Braille, other language or on audio cassette please contact: EMAIL [email protected] TEL 01785 619 000 www.staffordbc.gov.uk pg 02 pg 03 Local Nature Reserves M6 J15 STAFFORDSHIRE NEWCASTLE MOORLANDS UNDER-LYME C MEIR HEATH B BARLASTON < A34 FULFORD EAST A520 > STAFFORDSHIRE SWYNNERTON STONE COTES HEATH > F B5026 YARNFIELD > B5027 To Uttoxeter A51 NORTON > ECCLESHALL BRIDGE HIGH OFFLEY M6 J14 A A518 > < < A519 B5405 D STAFFORD GREAT HAYWOOD E A518 LITTLE HAYWOOD GNOSALL > HAUGHTON < A34 > A513 To Rugeley M6 J13 Introduction To Cannock This leaflet is intended to be a guide to Stafford Borough Council’s Local Nature Reserves (LNR). Stafford Borough is fortunate in having a wide range of habitats that includes areas of woodland, CONTENTS PAGE heathland, wetland and meadows. The LNR programme was introduced to help conserve and Introduction 03 enhance the best natural areas owned by the Council Every year we hold Local Nature Reserves 04 and reflects the diversity of habitats found across the a number of events borough. The LNRs are great places to visit to see a including practical Biodiversity 07 variety of wildlife or just to take a relaxing stroll. conservation work, and a wide range of nature Astonfields A 09 Each reserve has a five-year management plan that walks, where we look aims to conserve and enhance the habitats found Barlaston and at different aspects on site. A full description of the LNR is provided and Rough Close Common B 11 of the natural history includes information on the conservation work and Ferndown C 13 of the sites. Further the species present. Kingsmead D 15 information on all of our nature conservation Kingston Pool Covert E 17 The local community help with many of the reserves, either formally as 'Friends of' group, or informally as and biodiversity Stone Meadows F 19 volunteers. Their contribution is really important, work can be found Local Widlife Sites 21 both in keeping an eye on the reserves, recording on our website. www. wildlife and supporting events. staffordbc.gov.uk/sd Other Sites 23 pg 05 pg 04 Local Nature Reserves 09 11 17 19 CROWN ST WESTON RD A518 COMMON RD < COCKNAGE RD < < BIRKDALE > < DRUMMOND RD DRIVE RIVER TRENT KINGSTON BARLASTON LITTLE LANE < LANE AND < POOL COMMON RD A5005 RD COMMON < ASTONFIELDS COVERT CROWN ROUGH CLOSE < WINDMILL LONGHURST BALANCING DRIVE MEADOW COMMON ROUGH CL LAKES < CARVER RD MORRIS > D < DRIVE STAFFORD CL WESTBRIDGE TWELL LANE PARK SANDON R HAR > < LEADONDALE LANE A34 LONGTON RD A520 STAFFORD RD A520 Astonfields Balancing Lakes, Stafford Barlaston and Rough Close Common Kingston Pool Covert [South], Stafford Crown Meadow, Stone Approx. 4.2 hectares Approx. 21 hectares Approx. 4.5 hectares Approx. 3 hectares Main Habitats: Open water, Main Habitats: Lowland heathland and Main Habitat: Wet woodland Main Habitat: Lowland wet grassland Phragmites reedbed and saltmarsh lowland acidic grassland Owned and managed by Stone Town Council 13 15 19 19 NOR TOW PATH > THWOOD QU < VALLEY RD EE N < S W TO STOKE > A L Y TRENT RD ANE A 3 D > 4 NEWCASTLE ST > SOUTHERN R E MEADOW L T S KINGSMEAD A GOODALL C MARSH W MEADOW E N STAFFORD RD 9 FERNDOWN 1 < TRENT 5 NORTH WALLS A HOSP THE FILL > TO STAFFORD A500 QUEENSWAY < A34 EASTGATE ST TO STAFFORDYBROOKS A3 < LAMMASCOTE RD < RIVER TRENT > 4 > Ferndown, Clayton, Newcastle Kingsmead Marsh, Stafford Stone Meadows [Goodall Meadow] Stone Meadows [Southern Meadow] Approx. 5.5 hectares A34 Approx. 6 hectares Approx. 8.4 hectares Approx. 5.5 hectares Grassland and scrub woodland Main Habitats: Lowland wet grassland Main Habitat: Lowland wet grassland, and diverse hedgerows diverse hedgerows and wet woodland pg 07 pg 06 Biodiversity Biodiversity means the variety of living things. It indicates not just the vast array of life but also its inter-connectedness. The Eco-schools programme is a vibrant Protection of biodiversity is important for many network of schools reasons. Firstly there is a moral argument of that undertake a range preserving that which exists for its own right. of green initiatives. Secondly because it provides us with services - that Farmers and land is fresh air, clean water, insects that pollinate our managers can be food crops, medicines and many other things. advised on conservation We know that we are losing our biodiversity with many management including species of animals and plants decreasing in the UK Stewardship Schemes. and across the world. We are becoming accustomed Many businesses now to a landscape that is denuded of its wildlife. This have environmental means we no longer remember how rich our natural management systems heritage should be. That is why our surviving nature in place or provide reserves are so important, because they help show volunteers for us what the natural environment should look like and conservation. reveal what we have lost. Even in our gardens All sectors of the community have a part to play we can all make a in helping biodiversity. There are volunteering difference for example, opportunities on many of the nature reserves in the by installing a nest box, Borough, including those owned by Staffordshire creating a pond or Wildlife Trust. There are many wildlife organisations adding wildflowers to join like the RSPB, Plantlife or the Wildlife Trust. to our lawns. pg 06 # pg 08 pg 09 Astonfields Astonfields has a wonderful variety of habitats to discover, including reedbed, open water, scrub and small areas of woodland. The reserve is a great place to watch birds and also has a good variety of wildflowers. It is the combination of habitats and species that makes Astonfields such a special place. The area of land where the balancing lakes are located was originally wet meadowland. The northern balancing lake was constructed in the late 1970s to protect parts of Stafford from flooding and in 1990 the southern balancing lake was added. Friends of Astonfields The Reedbed For many years, a The reedbed mainly consists of Common Reed group of local residents and provides a home for a number of birds. These have been involved include Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, and Sedge with conservation work, Warbler. The warblers can be seen during the spring surveying the bird and summer months. The shy Water Rail can also population and helping be seen and heard. organise litter picks. Every year they hold The Lake volunteer work parties The open water is home to Moorhen, Coot and and nature walks that Mallard. In winter, Teal can be found here and in the are open to anyone reedbed. If you are lucky you may see a Kingfisher. to join in. pg 10 pg 11 Barlaston and Rough Close Common The largest of our LNRs and the best surviving remnant of the original Meir Heath. The heathland has been present for at least 300 years, created by generations of commoners who grazed their animals and gathered wood for fuel. The management aim is to preserve the open nature of the site and this requires replicating past activities by grazing and scrub control. The Top Common From the top of the common are fabulous views of the countryside and the Wrekin. Large swathes of Bilberry and Heather cover the reserve, the typical vegetation of heathland. There is also an old Wildlife sandstone quarry where rare insects can be found Many birds have been using the sandy soil to make their homes. seen on site including The Lower Common Bullfinch, Green Woodpecker and the This larger part of the reserve is quite different in uncommon Willow Tit. character, with a low-lying habitat of wet heath and In the summer, Willow acid grassland. Vegetation includes Cross-Leaved Warbler and Chiff-Chaff Heath, Cowberry and Purple Moor-Grass. Areas of can be heard singing in oak woodland have developed on the perimeter. the trees. Common Grazing Lizards are present though difficult to see. As part of the conservation management of the lower common, grazing was introduced in 2008 to control Many butterflies and vegetation in a traditional, natural way. The grazing moths have been encourages the regrowth of heathland plants whilst recorded here including helping to control unwanted scrub growth. The Red the Green Hairstreak Poll cattle are a rare breed and ideally suited to butterfly. Noctule and grazing the rough vegetation of the heath. They are Pipistrelle bats have on site from April to October. also been seen here. pg 12 pg 13 Ferndown Ferndown is our newest LNR and was declared in 2008. Within the old field boundaries a set of habitats have developed including meadow, scrub and small areas of woodland, providing a great variety of plants and wildlife. The Meadows The main aim of site management is to maintain a series of flower rich meadows. Part of this work is to develop a strip of cornfield annuals. These plants are now increasingly rare and so it was decided to The Friends provide a home for them here. During the summer of Ferndown you may see Cornflower, Corn cockle and Corn The Friends have Marigold plus many more. At least 120 species of contributed to the plants have been recorded here. Wild flowers to running of the reserve look out for include Common Knapweed, Yellow in many ways. They Rattle and Broad-leaved Helleborine. have made funding Bird Life applications, aided conservation work Over 40 species of birds have been identified and supported the visiting Ferndown. Birds seen in winter include numerous events Siskin, Bullfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. In that have been held.